The essence of Panwa

The Cape Panwa Hotel is “tucked away”, as they say in the trade, on the quiet southeast
corner of Phuket, but it’s still famous. Hollywood stars like being tucked away. Well, some of
them.

The hotel grew where coconut palms used to, on a hilltop with breathtaking views on all sides
of the Andaman Sea. Twenty years old, it was fully renovated with modern decor in 2009 and
added the Cape Spa to round out everyone’s dream holiday.

The two-storey white spa building off the hotel lobby is easy on the eyes with its mix of
traditional Thai and modern design. There’s an open sala for foot massage, three rooms for
traditional Thai massage and another four with Jacuzzis and steam baths for aroma massage.

You can also get a Thai herbal wrap, skin detox, body scrubs and facial treatments. After a
quick consultation to pinpoint what you need and how you want it delivered, the therapists
custom-tailor your regimen du jour.

Oceanic Aroma blends a foot soak, steam-or-sauna and aromatherapy body massage in 70
minutes for Bt1,400 or 130 minutes for Bt2,000. Choose your preferred massage oil – Energy
Orange, Relaxing Lavender, Sensual Ylang Ylang. Warm Vanilla or Uplifting Geranium.

This is top-to-toe pampering that’s said to improve circulation and fitness, relieve stiff
muscles and alleviate stress. The pressure can be adjusted to meet your needs.

The 70-minute Indian head massage (Bt800) is perfect for softening the hair and moisturising
the scalp. It begins with a gentle massage of the shoulders, arms and neck, moves on to a light
application of coconut oil to each strand of hair and finishes with a facial and scalp massage
and “chakra energy balancing”.

But I went for the Essential Facial Treatment, also 70 minutes, worth Bt1,800. Satira is used,
a mix of Thai herbs that revitalises the facial skin.

I’m prepared for the main round of pampering with an aromatic foot soak and a scrub with
salt. Therapist Arporn Hemman then begins dissolving all traces of oil from my eyes and lips.

Next comes hydrating cleansing milk, derived from extracts of grapefruit and centella asia to
make everything ultra-clean.

Formulated with an aloe vera extract, the toner is used thoroughly to remove impurities, and a
ginseng face scrub improves texture and moisturises dull weak skin. Jojoba beads are rolled
on the skin next, creating a mild exfoliating effect, followed by gentle essence massage meant
to remove signs of premature ageing.

Then my face is covered with a rejuvenating “hydra mask” for 20 minutes while the therapist
gently massages my head, shoulders and legs.

The process continues with botanical anti-ageing agent to soothe and restore the skin to
optimal health, followed by “hydra eye gel” to remove the lines around my eyes.

Finally there’s another relaxing massage to the head and shoulders, and no stress is left
standing. A cup of hot ginger tea gives me time to sit there and marvel at how refreshed and
moisturised my face feels.

>>>
 The Cape Spa at Cape Panwa Phuket is open daily from 10am to 9pm. Call (076) 391 123-5 or
visit www.CapeSpas.com or www.CapePanwa.com.
>>>